Pastor’s Bible Reading Schedule: Jeremiah 10-13
Title: “The Emptiness of Idolatry!”
Devotional Thought:
This chapter has been called the final charge of the Temple discourse. The section begins with people entering the temple gates “to worship the Lord” with the vain repetition of the false prophets ringing in their ears, “The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, are these buildings.” (7:2, 4) Much of the contemporary music today is generated by the same emotional hypocrisy. The emphasis is put upon the flesh, but people keep telling themselves it is worship. The Israelites were trying to convince themselves that they too were worshipping the Lord, but their idolatry and its associated depravity made it clear that they had abandoned faith in the Lord. The utter emptiness of idolatry is now fully exposed before the people as they are sent into the exile they so appropriately deserved. While these verses treat idolatry with the contempt it deserves, they are far more than a diatribe against carnality and hypocrisy. Chapter 10 demonstrates beyond the slightest doubt that in obedience to God Israel enjoyed an infinitely better position than the heathen, and for Israel to imitate their customs and practices brought the loss of Divinely given privileges and blessings. We too, sacrifice the privileges and blessings of God when we feed our flesh and disobey the Lord. Israel’s privileged position is summed up in the closing words of the beginning of this chapter: “The portion of Jacob is not like them.” (vs. 16) The passage comprises three main parts, each of which contrasts idols and idolatry with the “true God.” (vs. 10), and there is a different emphasis in each section. First, Idols have no power. (vs. 1-8) They “move not … speak not … cannot go … cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.” (vs. 4-5), but the Lord is the “King of nations!” (vs. 7) America needs to remember that money, sports, and entertainment cannot accomplish what God can accomplish in bringing peace, joy, and fulfillment to a life. Secondly, Idols have no permanence. (vs. 9-13) “The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth … shall perish” (vs. 11), but the Lord is “an everlasting King! (vs. 10) The lie of carnality and idolatry is that is continues to require more and different because there is no lasting fulfillment in them. America continues to sink into depravity because of the emptiness of the lies that captivate them. Thirdly, Idols bring no lasting pleasure. (vs. 14-16) “…every founder is confounded (put to shame) by the graven image,” (vs. 14) but the Lord is “the portion of Jacob.” (vs. 16) As the French philosopher said of America, “America is great because America is good. If America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” We have replaced respect for God and His Word with an allegiance to idolatry. We must pray that America wakes up before it is too late and we simply repeat history.
Personal Prayer Requests:
- Lord, please help me to remember and appreciate the power of God. It is not only the power unto salvation, but also the power to live a sanctified life for God.
- Lord, please help me to remember and appreciate the permanence of your word and Person. I know fades come and go as well as pleasures, but you are constant. Thank you for the security that it brings to me.
- Lord, please help me to remember and appreciate the pleasure that obedience brings as I seek to grow in grace and in my knowledge of you each day.